Dirty by A.C. Bextor

Author:A.C. Bextor [Bextor, A.C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Suspense, Vengeance Duet, Book One
Published: 2015-07-13T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“Was that your first time on the back of a Harley?” I ask, stepping off and turning around to help Em balance.

She doesn’t ride on the back of one well. I had to maintain an uncomfortable balance as she resisted the twists and turns of the dirt road, which led up to the peak where we’re parked.

Handing me the helmet I had her wear, she pauses before confusing me, “I didn’t think you’d remember.”

“Remember what?”

“You gave me a ride on yours as my high school graduation present.”

Embarrassed by my shitty memory, I’m pissed at myself for not thinking of it.

“I guess I forgot about that. I recall now that you didn’t ride well then, either.”

“I didn’t,” she agrees, but then accuses, “You promised you wouldn’t go fast.”

“Em, you were holding on for dear life and we were only going thirty-five.”

Narrowing her eyes, she replies, “You’re a liar. You knew you were scaring me.”

I’m not lying. We truly were only going thirty-five. Emma was important to me even then, and I wouldn’t have jeopardized her in any way. I can also admit I remember her arms being wrapped tightly around me. I loved every minute of it.

“Maybe,” I concede for her pride’s sake. “But you survived.”

“I never thought I’d be on the back of your Harley again.”

Holding her hand as she gets off the bike, I squeeze it gently when I notice it shaking. She lets it go and fixes her hair, pulling it over her light jacket.

“You bring a lot of girls here, don’t you?”

Looking out into the distance, the mountains are enveloped in low-hanging clouds, but their strong, powerful shapes are distinct. The colors of the setting sun bounce off the tops and create a glow of vibrant hues between them.

“Just you,” I tell her honestly. “I’ve never brought anyone here.”

Las Vegas evenings in November feel cooler from where we’re standing. She tightens her jacket at the neck and shivers. My arm wraps around her shoulders and I pull her in to me. She refuses at first then relaxes at my side.

“It’s peaceful here. I can see why you’d come.”

“It is,” I agree.

I spent a lot of time here in the days after Marie died. I was exhausted and was getting nowhere on the leads I was given. There were a few times I stood on the edge of the peak and thought about letting myself fall. I was in a dark place back then. I don’t voice these memories to Emma. She’s dealt with enough loss already.

Laying her head on my shoulder, she questions, “Do you think Casey will ever get to see something like this?”

Turning her around in my arms, I hold her still, forcing her to face me. She looks lost and so unsure. “We’ll bring her here together.”

“You sound so certain, Max,” she whispers, her hand touching my jaw as her fingers rest on my cheek.

“I’m not certain of a lot of things. Sometimes, you can’t look too closely at a situation or you get lost in its power, which can make you doubt what you’re doing.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.